From: Cheryl L Guthrie
We just returned April 5,2001 from a 2 week Holiday in Scotland & Ireland. Once of the special sites we visited was Loch Ness, and happened on Urquhart "Castle" I was apalled at the land "abortion" in progress. It looked like a "Disneyland" joke. I didn't realize this "progress-stuff" happened in Scotland, too. My heart go out to the suffering energies and spirits to whom this place must have BEEN a final resting place. Now, its has the life of a manufactured Hollywood backlot....void. PLEASE STOP, You (Historic Scotland) should be able to do this much better......!

Comments: Hello, I have never been to Scottland. Going is one of my fantasies. The beautiful country-side, the historical sites, and culture have always had a draw for me. Here in the States we really do not have anything as rooted like Urquhart Castle. Sure, we have battle sites and monuments, but nothing compaired to the history and majesty of Scottland. That in itself is the draw. One peoples heretige nestled on water-fronts amid rolling hills of green. For a time, we come, we visit, and are transported to a nother time. A beautiful place where Kings ruled and queens dallied in rose gardens, resplinded in lace. Now, I will not visit Urquhart. If this happens all over Scottland, I will not come. If I wanted to see noisy throngs of people, I could go down the street to the mall. If I wanted to stare at greasy burger joints I could down the road. Why fly across an ocean for that? Urquhart's beauty shall live on in my fantasies. It's a travesty I shall only walk it's peaceful shores in my dreams.

I was going to be married at Urquhart Castle next year but in the light of the rebuilding going on at this beautiful sight I am now no longer planning to do this.

I am disgusted at Historic Scotland allowing this to happen to this unique and very special sight.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help stop this senseless destruction of this wonderful and magical place !!!!!!

Thank you
T Cook

I feel that I must agree with the people who are saying that Urquhart Castle is being destroyed. I was there visiting this past fall and was appalled at the sight that greeted me from the boat. I couldn't believe the structure that was being built beside the castle. I agree that this is a sick joke. Other places I visited had built gift shops and restaurants and tea rooms that were done very nicely and did not detract from the beauty of the historic place. One such place would be Hampton Court. It is a shame.

I am disappointed to see Urquhart castle being desecrated. My family lineage dates back to this castle and it is hard to fathom some of the history of this site and that of Scotland being destroyed for the sake of greed. Save this castle and its surrounding countryside so that future generations can enjoy the history of the Scottish highlands.

I wonder why we as a race insist on ruining this beautiful planet? Just because you can doesn't mean you should!!! STOP FURTHER DESTRUCTION NOW!!!!

Hello
As my husband and me visited Scotland the first time in 1997 we also visited Urquhart Castle. It was a feeling like coming home for me. Maybe in a further live I was Scottish? Who knows? In 1999 we spent our honeymoon in Scotland. We spent one week house-boating on the Caledonian Canal. Again we visited the beautiful site of Urquhart Castle and we made a lot of pictures of it. We then heard about some changing in the surrounding of the castle but never thought it will be such a big changing.

Please make sure not to destroy this wonderful site. We certainly once will come back to Urquhart Castle and we will bring up our Son. I will show him, where I feel at home (except Switzerland) and I hope I will still be able to feel home after such big changement.

My great grandfather was Charles Oliver Urquhart, his father Aaron Urquhart, and so forth. My Urquhart family came here in 1773, on the Ship, "Baliol,"...that descendant was John Urquhart. Through this ancestry can be traced the great and note "Sir Thomas Urquhart." They travelled here with Jane Bethune, John's father was accompanying her. You will find her noted as well.

The castle is history...through its conquering and quest...its rep as a monastery...the people should sit and gaze upon it, rather than exploit or destroy it.
Thank you
Terry Crowley

My family and I were in Scotland this summer in August visiting our family and friends my father was born in Scotland Cairnbulg Aberdeenshire and I have been going back and forth for 37 years with my family and I have been to see Nessie all my life I took my children this year and I am glad I did because I will never take them again to see the castle it is a real shame to knock down the castle it upsets me to see and hear this is nasty and upsets my whole family. We will miss Urquhart Castle very much and we hoped to see it on our next trip in two years time.

Please leave it alone my seven year old son is upset that you are trying to hurt Nessie and his homeland.
Very upset.
The 4Hoggs

My husband and I drove by the castle in July of 1999, when we were in the Highlands on our honeymoon. We could not even stop to look around inside because of how crowded it was. My husband is descended from the Clarkes, one of which was captain of the guard at the castle. It saddens me to see what has become of this historic castle. Continue fighting on to save Glencoe!

Sincerely,
Laura Freeman
Paso Robles, California
United States of America

To whom it may concern,
As an American of proud Scottish descent, I am appalled and amazed by recent developments at Glencoe, Urquhart Castle and Bannockburn.

It would seem that the National Trust of Scotland has betrayed that trust. I realize the need to stimulate the economy but at what price if one's loses the wonderful heritage of one's country. Here in America, we also wage war against the forces of greed and bureaucracy. The commercial infringement that would seem to be planned for these historic places would seem to be tantamount to building condos on the Gettysburg battle field or turning the Alamo into a Mexican restaurant!

I plan to continue to keep track and support the fight to preserve these wonderful places as well as to inform others in the Scottish cultural organizations to which I belong. To those on the front lines, bravo.

Warmest regards,
Ed Moore

To whom it may concern, (Which is sadly unlikely to be those who could Have prevented this rape!)

My 10 year old daughter was given a writing assignment out here in California. She was to write about where her dream place would be, whom she would take and why.

She has written that she would like to go to Drumnadrochit on Loch Ness. I was searching the net for some spectacular photos of Castle Urquhart as She needed to create a painting of her dream place. What I found instead was a horrifying account of how this picturesque place and phenomenal Loch are being systematically destroyed by greedy fat cats in the name of "Accessibility". What am I to tell my daughter now? She hasn't seen these articles yet. Do I let her keep a false hope of one day seeing a Loch Ness in all it's pristine splendor or do I destroy a little girl's dream of a place that won't exist by the time she could get there?

To all those who fought this good fight so faithfully, remember why we Americans broke with the Brits? Because we were tired of paying taxes and tariffs that gave us no benefit, tired of a government that was too detached from us and our needs to be responsive. Perhaps a popularly elected Prime Minister would listen to the people more since obviously Tony Blair doesn't!

My prayers are with you,
Diolch yn fawr,
Aurora Franck-Thompson

I just found the site on the carnage of Urquhart Castle. HOW SAD! I was on the net to start planning a trip that would bring myself and my family to the highlands of Scotland (a lifelong dream of mine) to see it's beauty, and one of the places I really wanted to visit was Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. My stomach is sick. I guess I'm too late.

Cassie Garren
Illinois, USA

STOP THE RECONSTRUCTION OF URQUHART CASTLE! THE GOVERNMENT OF SCOTLAND IS TOTALLY STUPID! SAVE URQUHART CASTLE, IMPROVE THE ROADS, INCREASE TOURISM! STOP THE RECONSTRUCTION, NOW!

Just been reading and I am disappointed to see such greed happening. They should leave it alone. But then again it is in humans nature – greed.

They have totally ruined it. What good is it now? who exactly, actually brought the site? (thats what I wanna know) its like a friend of mine who is 89ish and sold a castle in london and the new owners stripped it down solid. Which was very upseting but now they can't sell it for the amount they paid for it. Serves the greedy right.

-disapointed

As a visitor on 2 occasions to Loch Ness and surrounding areas, I am astonished to see what has happened in the name of Progress. What are the powers that be thinking, or are the thinking at all. I live in Australia where, anything over 150 years of age is an absolute rarity, and am a member of the Australian National Trust I am outraged at what you have done.

I wonder why we as a race insist on ruining this beautiful planet? Just because you can doesn't mean you should!!! STOP FURTHER DESTRUCTION NOW!!!!

Please save the castles because someday I would like to vist where my Great-Grandparents came from. His name was William Meldrum.

Dear Sirs
Upset me, I cried when I saw it, what is the world coming to. I am only one visitor to Scotland, and I object to the monstrosity they are putting up at the side of the Loch, there can't be a "Nessie" she would have come out to object too.

On the 28th February, on a day when foot and mouth is spreading over our country devastating farms and animals, the train crash in Yorkshire, the thought of Loch Ness and Urquhart being despoiled is the last straw. Please pass on my strongest objections to this idiotic idea, not even the Americans would want to see that!

Joan Disley

Is there nothing that the Govt. won't do for money? I can't see the point of messing up beautiful places just to turn a 'buck'. I've visited Scotland over the past fifty years. There are places I shall not return to if they are modernised!!

After seeing some of the United States' own historic landmarks subjected to graffiti, litter, squatting by drug-dealing transients, used as party sites by teens, and toilets by people with pets, I fully believe the only way to truly preserve any historic site is to keep it as closed off to the general public as possible, letting only qualified and responsible historians and archaeologists/palaeontologists, etc. have access to them.

Why do you want to destroy such a lovely Castle. You are ruining history. You should have no right to do that do such an old and beautiful castle.

Houston, Texas

To whomever it may concern:
I would love to visit Scotland. I hear how beautiful it is and how the historic castles remain in the distance.

It disturbs me to see that your government is allowing this historic castle and beauty to be torn down. I just hope Scotland does not turn in the US. We do not value our history as much as other countries.

I hope you and other protesters can put an end to this before other pieces of history are demolished.

Sincerely,
Lisa McGill

I'm from the U.S. and have never been to Scotland. When I saw the pictures I thought "What the hell are they doing!" Is this for tourism? If it is I will not visit." I hope to someday visit my ancestors home (Culcreuch castle) and would be outraged if such a thing was done to my family's land. How can this happen? Raped and prostituted indeed. What a sad shame. This is an outrage! You have my vote of protest! Please forward this to any authority who allowed this to happen and let them know that this castle has lost one visitor.

Sincerely,
Jack L. Galbraith

Don't you have enough land over there, that you have to resort to digging up a castle.

Greedy b******s!

I have to say that Urquhart castle was the most beautiful thing that I saw in all of Scotland. I applaud your efforts to keep the castle from completely ruining, but its beauty is part because of the untouched land surrounding it. To build up the area around it would take that away. Such things of beauty need to be left alone.

Hello,
I am from Australia and have always dreamed of visiting Scotland, particularly for it's beautiful castles and lush highlands.

From where I am I can' t comprehend the destruction of such a beautiful and huge part of your history. You should be ashamed !

I can gather from the angry responses from citizens of this town that you are damaging the livelihood of your people.

I am sure that if you continue this destruction the reason why so many people visit your beautiful country will be demolished itself. Hopefully this will cause a downfall in tourism and the loss of money funding this destruction will cause projects like this to be abandoned.

I am saddened by this greatly and perhaps I might just travel to England instead! I hear they have great castles!

Angered, SA

Now I see what a joke my fellow country men (or - What we might call "people" some of them seeming too immature) are doing with their spare time... I however am serious about my heritage. If the Scot's believe...THEN I HAVE TO ALSO. My family was there for a very long time Ms. Urquhart (as in Urquhart Castle)

Hello
Thank you so much for your response. I don't know who claims there is no disapproval to the desecration of Castle Urquhart! I complained every single day...to the guards, to the people directing (or non-directing) traffic....

I even parked and hiked in to complain to the workers themselves. I talked To about six of them over the course of four days and asked them if they were Scottish...if they were from the Highlands and what they thought about the work they were doing. Overwhelmingly, the response was "It's a job." Ironically, that is the same attitude that Hitler had when he stormed his way through Europe!

I love Scotland SO much that I spent the last four months there volunteering my time in a hyperbaric chamber in Oban and going to school in Fort William.

I understand that change is necessary. I understand that people must have jobs. But AT WHAT PRICE??? When I was working in Oban, I heard talk about using divers to survey the formations beneath Urquhart to find why the cliffs were collapsing and that some company was coming in to shore up the foundation with large boulders. Well, it does not take a rocket scientist to realize that when you start tearing away the land that is anchoring a spittal of land to a mountainside, the stability of that area will suffer. As sad as it is to say, I am hoping that the Loch will claim this castle as its own and it will sink into the loch where man and machine are beyond its reach.

As I mentioned in my e-mail, I am not of Scottish heritage, but I have been impressed by the Scottish Heritage and their efforts to "preserve" sites of true value. I will not renew my membership to Scottish Heritage. I have lost faith in this organization and expect their next project will be to turn Culloden into a shopping mall (maybe with a new WalMart). And I can easily imagine Glen Coe as a motorcycle race course.

I would be honoured that my disgust might reach one or two people....it seems no one has taken notice of the outrage I expressed while I was there! Where is your group based and what plans do have for action regarding this building mess. Obviously, it is too late to stop them and re-plant grass. Is there some way that I can be of assistance? I have read over your website very carefully and have decided to return to Drumnadrochit one more time to see the progression first hand. I will arrive in Drumnadrochit on the 14th October and stay for two weeks. Please let me know what I can possibly do to be involved with this protest.

I am attaching some digital photos I took while I was there last month. I am also attaching photos I took in previous years that shows how "it used to be."

For your personal information, I am an underwater photographer and a journalist. I write for a dive magazine in Singapore and for one in New Zealand. I am currently working in Germany, but my home for the last five years has been in the Bahamas. I am originally from the US, but left there years ago because of the overwhelming frustration I felt from overcrowding, pollution and degredation of the land for tourist dollars. Maybe you can understand that???? I thought....quite honestly....that Scotland was safe from that mental attitude. But, I guess as long as those who do not care make the decisions, we will all find our own little bits of heaven being bulldozed away.

Sincerely,
Judy Newton

To all concerned:
Several years back I had the opportunity to visit your fabulous country. We drove from Aberdeen to Loch Ness and me eyes could not contain the beauty and grandeur that they saw. I remember driving up the Grampians and bagpipes playing Amazing Grace began to play and I could not hold back the overwhelming tears of the beauty my eyes saw.

I was so excited to get to Loch Ness. My husband laughed at me as I went down to the water’s edge and began to call Ness to come to visit me. My mind filled why tales of old and thoughts of the real history older than the history of my own country was unimaginable. I can not tell you enough how much so called improvements to some of our historic sites has ruined them and took away the authenticity of what once was.

Your history is also my history, all Americans came from some distant land, weather from Scotland , England, Germany, it is our heritage and does not deserve to be overtaken by those who think it would be more convenient to place ugly monstrous buildings on heritage ground. There is plenty of room for restaurants and visitor centers at the top of the hill or on the other side of the road.

Please don't destroy the beauty of Urquhart. People don't come to see modernization, they come to see history and the ground there family members once walked, if you change it they will never be able to see what truly was their heritage. I bet if you took to time to really ask you would find that saving the castle grounds is a lot more important than you think. The people of that area are not just concerned for themselves but for all who come to visit.

Listen to them, are your people not allowed to have the right to voice their concerns about there own dwellings and preservation of national heritage? Please listen and SAVE the CASTLE.

Sincerly,
Diana

Hello
All I can say is that what I just found out is an unbelievable, stupid, ugly, ****** outrage!! I haven't been to the Loch yet, but I had planned to go this summer for the first time in my life. I live in Canada, and I am graduating high school in June and I was going to go. How the hell can they tear that castle down? For what? Please tell me it's because of danger, and not housing or hotel or some other form of ridiculously insulting bu******t that money hungry pigs can think up in the sewer they call a mind!

Excuse my language, but since the first time my brother showed me pictures and told me the story of the Loch, I was obsessed. That was over a decade ago. Almost my whole life I was planning to go there. For some reason, I thought that Scotland would be different. I thought that they could have respect for their own history.

Dear Sirs,
Please forgive my ignorance, but why is slag being tipped so close to a British heritage building? As we live in North Wales we are not kept up to date with, what we have always called our ancestral home.

If you think we can help in any way, PLEASE contact us

Kindest regards
Richard & Kerry Urquhart

What a horrible shame to such devastation to an historic site. We had so been looking forward to visiting Loch Ness and the castle but now will do our best to insure that when we visit we will not spend our time or money at any of their sites.
Good luck in your endeavors and thank you for sharing the pillage of the castle - it is truly a sad event.

Leah Landas
Chandler, Arizona
USA

I was lucky enough to be able to visit the remains of this beautiful area before the construction ( or is it destruction) of this area. Part of the beauty of this Caste is the view. To stand on these grounds and look out at the same view that Scottish lords and warriors saw for in their time. That's History. I'm sorry that so-called civilization has been allowed to infringe on this landscape.

I was planning a vacation to Ireland & Scotland this year sorry I guess Loch Ness is not on my list to do now! I can see construction at home in the U.S. So who is the Brainless wonder to think this project up? I've waited all my life to come see Loch Ness! Thanks to who ever ruined my dream!!!!!!!!! Thomas Hugh Anderson U.S.A. P.S. I have MONEY to spend,I guess I will spend it in Ireland

Hi, I'm From all the way in the States and I believe it is wrong to destroy places where our future children can learn about history.

The castle has been a major part of history of here in the States. I have been to your lovely country once and plan to visit again. Although at the time I was very young I always remember the castle. It would be like destroying a cemetery with all your loved ones in it. Would they want that destored? Of course not! Then why destroy a place where everyone’s favorite memories are; "loving memories" Good luck in the fight to save the blessed place of Scotland.

Yes,this does upset me!!!!!!!!!!

For the few dollars to be made is it really worth it to destroy history?

William P. Mueller

I think you should leave Urquhart castle because it is a legend of Scotland so people can see what it looked like. Don’t tidy it up just leave it the way it looks so people can explore and see what ancient time looked like.

I have never visited Urquhart Castle, but I definitely would love to some day soon. Not only because it looks and sounds like a great and beautiful landmark, but also because the castle traces back to my family roots. I am a descendant of the Urquhart family. My last name, Orcutt, is an Anglicized form of Urquhart. I would be very grateful to do whatever I can to save this castle from ruin!

I want the castle. I am 13years old I don’t know much but I want that castle to stay. Stop leave it there.

Please don't let them destroy your heritage. Once it's gone it can never be brought back. I appreciate your scenic vistas and I don't even live there. I'm in the USA, (Ohio).but my family and I would love to see your beautiful country someday and that especially includes your castles.
Sincerely,
Connie

As an Urquhart myself, I am unbelievably disappointed, I feel saddened and hurt that the government take it upon themselves to destroy what history we have left in this country! I myself am only 17 and admittedly know not nearly as much as the older generation, but from what my granddad has told me about the place and the historic value of the place to the people of Scotland it deserves nothing more than to remain in its state!

Myself and all those who belong to the Clan of Urquhart follow our motto: mean well, speak well, do well. I mean well by writing this e-mail, I speak well as I am an Urquhart, but the last part is up to the government! Do well; they should do well by listening to fellow people and as far as I can see, that means leaving the Castle in its historic state!
Good luck!

Your ideas to 'improve' the site are an abomination. How can you call yourselves 'Historic Scotland' and yet have no sense of history? Let those of us who can feel our ancestry in places like these keep them to ourselves, and let those tourists who are looking for bright lights go to Blackpool!

Scottish castles are the country's treasures. We don't need tacky 21st century things in Scotland. It is a wild and beautiful place of romance as well as modern day occurrences. Let's keep what is beautiful, historical and unique about my beloved Scotland and send the developers to the Normans!

I work in a busy office in London with 12 years to go to my retirement. I keep the Loch Ness webcam on all day and sigh a lot because this is where I am going to retire to and I just can't wait. To think that it might be despoiled by developers is heartbreaking. I am Scottish and visit the area when I can. Please don't ruin it before I can get back to my roots for good.

Trish Phillips

Loch Ness Urquhart Castle development.

We are ashamed, appalled and disgusted that this beautiful historical landmark is being degraded, and ruined by this monstrosity! This just shows how much Historic Scotland really cares for its beautiful and historic land. Our forefathers would turn in their graves, they fought to preserve and save our beautiful landscape for centuries and now.... well it is just totally disgusting.

The Government should be ashamed of itself, this is a place of historic value, beautiful scenery and it is about to be totally ruined. How can they do this? What is the next place for their unruly rampage with the earth movers?

People of Scotland, you must stand up to protect and defend your landscape and buildings, you must oppose in any manner that will STOP this monstrosity NOW! It seems that the only way to make changes is to fight and not by voting, since this clearly does not work any longer. So stand up and defend this beautiful place by blockading the builders, this may at least buy you some time and maybe, just maybe, persuade a change of mind in this disgusting development.

Act now before it is to late!

A. Stuart & H. Plaggenborg.

Atlanta
Georgia
USA

It disgusts me and makes me sick to think that a historical society would allow this to be done. This is a perfect setting for one of those legends that are associated with Britain (castle, little village, beautiful natural tranquillity). All to be destroyed by some stupid company that is oblivious to what real beauty is. Were they not, as children, fascinated by the stories of an enormous creature that has risen out of the water every so often, and still hasn't been identified for more than 600 years? I have just read the articles and I am in a state of pure shock. To think an organization that says "300 buildings in their care" would wreck a gorgeous place like this!!!!!!!

I am so glad you guys at this website are speaking out against the madness!!! If I saw one of those quangos , I would spit on HIS FACE.

THANK YOU AGAIN!!!

saw the pictures of the castle. you have my support, Scotland is no disneyland

I have dreamed of seeing "URQUART CASTLE" but not in a pile of rubble....now.. maybe I will never see it in my lifetime as it was...Shame on you for your greed…..and shame on you for tearing apart your ancestorial grounds you might as well go to the cemetery and dig up your past relatives!!!!!

I'm so sorry to read about the "patch-up" of Urquhart Castle. We were fortunate to visit there one afternoon in 1998, and it was one of the most moving places I've visited. At the time, it seemed to be strongly symbolic of a certain vision of Scotland, in spite of the rather obvious piper on the roof. I've remembered it since with great appreciation. I don't know what the answer is, and I'm very empathetic to your anger about the "prettification" of this wonderful site. It will, of course, destroy the essence of the place. I feel they should leave well-enough alone!

I think it is appalling what they are trying to do to Castle Urquhart. I'm glad I have a travel video that has pictures of it, so I will know what it used to look like!

I followed the stories about Nessie for about 2 years and i am really fascinated by it. I always admired the fact that the highlands and the loch are one of the natural sites and sceneries in the world. I think DESTUCTION of the castle not only will erase remains of the past, as well as the legendary Loch Ness monster. Everytime I see photos of the loch I always see the castle its just something special the monster and the castle. I always wanted to the loch to enjoy the natural beauties and gifts of the place but know I feel that the place is just merely a place that is made, not from true existence.

I'm so very sorry to see what's happening to the Urquhart site. I visited in'97 & saw the castle after closing hours(jump fence). I stayed in area a few days, dancing at Cannich class as guest of a Drum resident; bicycling the A82 was bad enough-seeing the new project would be devastating. What a sad end for such a dramatic & lovely setting...

My sincerest sympathies & heartfelt outrage.This sort of thing is usually associated with American crass opportunism & lack of cultural identity; & for how many jobs? Hey, as long as McLeod is selling the Cuillins maybe they could install an espresso hut on Sgurr Alastair summit-I'm sure tourists could be cajoled into climbing it for the sake of spending money. What about a wave machine on upper Lomond?

I'll not forsake Glen Urquhart next time I'm over, but I sure as hell will be careful who gets my money-local businesses only!!!

USA

As an official of Clan Grant in Cleveland, Ohio, my wife and I pilgramige to Urquhart Castle ruins every 16-18 months when we visit "heaven's waiting room".

Sitting at the foot of the loch with only the sound of wind and wave to disturb is truly chicken soup for the soul. "slainte".

I can't believe they'd do that to the castle. They need to leave the scenery alone!!

Both my husband and I are of Scottish descent and having been to Scotland to see the Urquhart castle of my ancestors (my grandfather's mother was an Urquhart), I would be horrified to see the castle site disturbed by developers.

The castle should be left alone. My family's heritage has originated from that castle, that is where my ancestors came from, they moved from there in the late 1500's to London, then in the 1800's out here to Australia. The castle is a symbol of my foundations and it should be admired in its original state. LEAVE IT ALONE. That place represents my heritage.

There is no need to change the outlook of the castle as it has been around for years and doesn't need to be changed.

I strongly think you should keep the castle as it is, but also let tourists come. I also think the castle should not have a paved road, but fill in some of the ditches. Make a NO littering sign, do NOT turn it in to a theme park. It should have a guard or some one watching it so that no one can trash it.

THANK YOU kindly!

I say that Urquhart Castle shall be in peace. No buildings shall be built beside or around it. I wish that it will remain all its life.

Fix The Castle like it was when the last person lived in it and do tours in the Castle, fix the grounds also. This is what the area needs, not new things, but fixed up old things. Its cheaper in the long term to do this because more tourist would come and spend money.

I have never been there but i hope to make it someday . It would be nice to see the castle as it has been in all the photos I’ve seen of it. If it must be changed set up a car park and visitors center back far enough to allow the site to remain as it was and run a shuttle to the castle. In any case the "new" visitor’s center should be removed asap it makes the castle and view look like crap as for a footpath I think it would be nice to allow access to those who have trouble getting around but I would keep cycles off it.

As a descendent of the Urquhart family I am proud of my Scots ancestry. Please leave the site as it is. You are so lucky to have places like this to see. I live in the Western part of the United States. Our oldest buildings are only one hundred and fifty-three years! Please don't develop it.

I have only visited this site a couple of times but every time has been an experience, I have taken friends all the way up to this site from England just to see this amazing site. Don’t let these money men ruin this Tranquil place. I have spent many an hour just standing in awe of this place.

We were there in 1993 from Australia and the history can be felt in the air. We just loved it the way it was. There's no need for a visitor centre and restaurant as there are places nearby to eat, etc. Please don't spoil another part of Scotland's history. It would entirely ruin the feeling you get looking out over Loch Ness. It has always made the hair stand up on the back of my neck ever since I was young and used to visit Loch Ness with my mum and dad.

I think you should just leave it as one of the world’s Beautiful man made historic site , so in many years to come people can look at a small part of what the old world looked like.

It has been proven to my satisfaction in many parts of the world that the best way to treat an historic site is to create an information centre and facilities some way away and provide public transport to take visitors to the site.

No private transport should be allowed near the site, and the car parking should be alongside the visitor centre. It is even better if the visitor centre is out of sight of the site (and vice versa).

I'm extremely saddened by what I see happening at Urquhart Castle. As a Canadian with Scottish roots, I deplore what appears to be ruthless commercial exploitation of a beautiful and unique site. I visited the castle in 1995 with my father. Its special ambience comes from the sense one gets of being in a place of ancient history and ancient ghosts; the beautiful untouched setting is an integral part. Remember the story of the golden goose.

By trying to cash in quickly, you risk destroying your treasure.

This is despicable. If Historic Scotland proposes to put a visitor castle at Urquhart Castle then surely it is in it own best interests to keep the waters habitable for fish, and possibly Nessie herself (or himself). The visitor centre is there for the wildlife and history, and if the centre is surrounded by a ring of sewage then who is going to look at the fish?

Tristan

It's a shame that you are losing your lovely old castle. Here in Texas we value our historical monuments with great Relish. Like the Alamo in San Antonio. I'd of thought that it would've been far better to of used it as your Historical Monument and left it be!!!!!!!!

Although I enjoy your site, I was deeply saddened to see the deconstruction of Urquhart castle. I am visiting Loch Ness an April 19th for a week and find it ludicrous that there are plans underway to build a theme park on Loch Ness! If I wanted that, I'd stay in the U.S. and visit Disneyworld for the umpteenth time. I think Historic Scotland, as they are ironically named, should take a hard look at their plans.

I believe many people will stop coming to the Loch if it becomes a commercial tourist trap. I for one, am travelling to Loch Ness because of its tranquillity and old world feel. If this theme park becomes reality, I would certainly think twice before visiting again. I think most people would feel the same. I will do everything I can not to support their devious money-grabbing plans by avoiding visiting the castle, though it saddens me to do so.

Good luck in your efforts to stop them,
Terrence Tyrka

Why is "Historic Scotland" destroying Urquhart Castle???

I will be visiting Loch Ness this summer and those pictures I just saw were just ghastly.

Do you have/will you be organising an online petition against the fun park due to be built at Urquhart Castle ? If you did, I'm sure many people would sign it.

I find it horrible that you would endanger the potential tourists that would come to lovely Loch Ness by tossing the sewage from Urquhart Castle into the water. Ecosystems are too delicate for this type of callous disregard, and no one wants to walk along a beach covered in sewage. That is what we here in America have New Jersey for. Please, stop the mindless dumping of sewage into your lovely waters before you lose one of your beautiful attractions.

We visited your lovely village last year,and we are very upset to see what is happening to the castle. We loved our time at Loch Ness and we think Nessie is really cool.

The proposal to discharge sewage from the visitor centre at Castle Urquhart is a serious dereliction of duty on the part of authority responsible for the care of this valuable world famous body of water. Go and sell your mother instead!

I would like to see the Castle remain as is.........from my first ever visit to the castle when I was around six/seven years of age - it has dramatically changed...lets stop there!

I presently live in Bermuda.....but wish to return to Scotland later in life....

and would enjoy taking my future family to visit the loch & castle - without passing a load of bins with "Little Chef" type of waste....piled high...

Thank you....

I have visited the castle several times when I have travelled to Scotland, and thought the Castle a wonderful, historic place to visit. In fact, besides the Loch itself, the castle is always one of my reasons to come this way. There was never a parking problem, and any additional modern buildings would destroy the feeling of timelessness. Keep it from falling apart any further, but please don't destroy one of your precious landmarks.

You people in Scotland do not know what you have you have a huge part of life’s history right in your own backyard and people thinking about changing that. I come from Florida and we have nothing over here. I wish we had something like the Urquhart Castle where I am. People are taking that amazing castle for granted and that is a shame, it should stay how it stands right now. It is a part of the history of Scotland, it should be left alone and to wonder about what life was really like back in those days, and how different life it is now. "leave it alone "

I saw Urquhart Castle in '97.It's a difficult site for accommodating tourist traffic, but if you destroy the ambience they won't linger or return. '99 saw an 11% drop in tourism,'00 the same or worse so far; I've spent a total of 8 months bicycling Scotland; I'll be back-but not to Urquhart... How to kill the golden goose in one ugly step.